You Should Always Clean The Carpets When Moving Into A New Home

If you’ve just purchased a previously-owned or rented home, you’re probably excited to move right in and make it your own. But not so fast: Your new home might look bright and shiny, but you never know where anything has truly been, especially when it comes to older homes with built-in wall-to-wall carpeting. Even if your home’s previous owner did their best to keep the carpet clean with regular vacuuming sessions and trips to Massey’s Chem-Dry, that doesn’t mean your new home’s rug couldn’t do with a bit of extra love. Whether you’re a total neat freak or you just want the satisfaction of moving into a truly spotless home, getting your rug cleaned is an absolute necessity for new homeowners. You’ll be able to clean out all the dust and grime of the moving process, and you’ll be left with a home that’s perfectly clean and dry. If you’re just about to move into your new house, here are a few reasons why cleaning the rugs beforehand is the smart move.

Get Rid of Moving Debris

If you’ve ever moved into a city apartment building or even a pre-owned home, you’ll know exactly how dirty the act of moving can really be. In addition to stirring up tons of years-old dust, dirt, and allergens, moving can reveal parts of the floors, ceilings, and kitchen fixtures that look like they haven’t been cleaned in years. That means that even if the people who lived in the space before you took meticulous care of their rug, they probably didn’t account for all the mess that moving would leave behind, from dusty boxes landing everywhere to heavy pieces of furniture being removed that probably hadn’t been moved in years. The moving process alone has probably wreaked havoc on your rug, and you want to take this opportunity to make sure that none of that dust and dirt has a chance to sink into your rug’s fibers and end up creating problems. The best way to do this is to have your rug professionally cleaned before you even set foot in your new house. Before you think about placing new pieces of furniture down, make sure you’re not ruining your new home belongings by putting them in contact with a dusty, dirty rug.

Make Sure You’re Not Dealing with Pre-Existing Moisture

Permanent rugs in older homes can be covering up a multitude of sins, including bad flooring, old stains or damage, or worse: Moisture issues. One of the first things to do before moving into a new space is to check everywhere for potential water leaks. Even if everything looks fine, you’ll be able to tell whether there’s a moisture problem by looking at the walls, the ceiling, and of course, your carpet. Wall-to-wall carpeting that’s been in the space for a long time can be holding a ton of dirt, grime, and even the beginnings of mold growth if it hasn’t been cleaned in awhile. Not only do you want to avoid moving into a home with a moldy carpet and the potential for more moisture-related issues, you want to make sure your rug is as clean as possible before you start moving everything in. By the time you’ve settled in it will be too late to do anything about the problem. The best maintenance is preventative maintenance, so don’t slack on making your new home the cleanest it can be before you even begin the move-in process.

Don’t Inherit Someone Else’s Mess

Moving into a home that had previous tenants can come with a lot of surprises. While some of these can be great, many can be less than ideal. As a rule of thumb, it’s always good to start fresh when moving into a previously-inhabited space. This means changing the locks, checking the water pressure, getting the entire space checked out by a pest control service, and yes, cleaning the rugs. Rugs that have been in a space for years have most likely seen their fair share of mess, moisture, and damage. Before you start making a life for yourself in your new home, you want to make sure your carpet is actually in good shape. Whether the previous tenants cleaned it beforehand or simply sprayed it with cleaner to make it appear fresher, you want to give it a proper turning out before you start reconfiguring your space and setting up your furniture. Remember, it can’t hurt to be extra careful when it comes to cleaning and prepping your new home.